Between running a pie truck and painting pictures, rallying three rambunctious children and sneaking moments to savor every last drop of tea in my cup, I write this mini log of what I love to do best—keep my hands busy making something . . . Thank you for stopping by, I truly love your comments! Leave a link to your blog, I’d love to stop by!

Between running a pie truck and painting pictures, rallying three rambunctious children and sneaking moments to savor every last drop of tea in my cup, I write this mini log of what I love to do best—keep my hands busy making something . . . Thank you for stopping by, I truly love your comments! Leave a link to your blog, I’d love to stop by!

Search

Search for:

Birthdays: Handmade, Homemade

Maribelle

Summertime

One Treat After Another

Oh My Sweet Baby

The Blue Heron Ranch Cookbook

All photographs, artwork and written material are copyrighted by Marica Thompson 2010 – 2017. If you have questions or would like permission to use content from this site please email me at: maricathompson@gmail.com

What a fun snow we had. I absolutely enjoyed every minute of it! The snow is rare, which probably makes it a whole lot easier to love. But goodness, it was a nice change of pace. We spent so much time home, kids and all, just relaxing, playing, baking and storing up on together-time knowing that the restaurant will soon be open and who knows when the next time we will be able to just lay-low like this.

CUSTARD PIE RECIPE

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl combine:

3 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Sauté and then add to the rest of the ingredients:

1 bunch chopped collards or greens of your choice

4 cloves garlic minced

Add:

1+1/2 cups cooked and sliced fingerling potatoes

Optional: 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice

Pour into an oiled pie pan and top with:

Lemon zest

Bake for about 25 minutes or until the center is fairly firm when you shake the pan.

BRAN MUFFIN RECIPE

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl combine:

3 eggs

1/3 cup molasses

3/4 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup safflower oil

1 cup wheat bran

3/4 cup oats

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup applesauce

1/2 cup rye flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sift together and then add to the rest of the ingredients:

2 cups unbleached white flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup raspberries

1 cup blueberries

Pour into an oiled muffin pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I’ve been fighting that yuck flu that has been galloping around lately. I haven’t actually gotten it, but have felt worn, weak and a bit achy. This morning I took a gap of time to rest—hoping to rid myself of it for good—and decided to look up one of my favorite children’s authors of ALL time: Elizabeth Enright. She has that magical ability of making the daily doings of everyday story-like and enchanting; where you want to read about her characters lives again and again. She wrote Thimble Summer, Gone Away Lake, the Melendy Familybooks and more. The exciting thing I found today was that she wrote a book I had never found before! The Sea is All Around. Of course the only available copy is $150 dollars, so I will just have to hope they re-issue it someday. But still, it was thrilling to know there is another gem of an Elizabeth Enright book out there to eventually read.

The next amazing thing I found was that her mother, Maginel Wright Enright, was an illustrator and Capezio ballet shoe designer. And for me, not just any illustrator, she has deeply charmed me since I was a child. In fact, one of the artists that subconsciously has influenced my own artwork greatly. I never knew who it was, I just knew the images in the back of my mind. Now I know what they are and who drew them. It was a style—she wasn’t the only one—that was typical of victorian children’s art. Other illustrators I feel need to be mentioned are Blanche Fisher Wright and Margaret Evans Price.

It all starts to add up. I have another favorite author/illustrator that I found when my kids were little named Elsa Beskow. Also Sibylle Von Olfers. Both were from that same era and made such an impression on me. You know when you find that writing that says it for you, or that painter that paints it how you see? These ladies created a lovely world, one I’d love to crawl right into and perhaps not even ever leave.

The following is some of what I found of Maginel Wright Enright’s artwork:

Anyway, cheers and hope everyone is having a lovely week!

~ Marica

PS. I thought I should also note that Maginel Wright Enright is also Frank Lloyd Wright’s sister. I ordered myself her biography and am curious if it will be any good.

From reports on Rome to winter dance performances, January was truly a jumble of fullness. I’ve been working on vegan recipes to add to our menu so there has been a bit of a scramble in the kitchen too. So far I feel confident in a new chocolate mousse made with coconut milk and deep, dark chocolate. I think the vegan crowd will consider it acceptable. I am now onto more savory options. As much as I eat meat, when I go out to dinner I notice I rarely will choose a meat option unless I trust where the meat is coming from and feel comfortable with how clean the kitchen is that it will be prepared in. We will only be serving the most amazing meats, and our kitchen will be kept very clean, but I really do feel we need more vegan and vegetarian options. My husband keeps mentioning it as well. So right now that is on my mind, along with OLCC licensing paperwork, the bar top order (more on that next post) and all the little things that fall in-between.

Even though we are still a good month out, spring has been peeking its bright head around the corner, and as you can see I have a stack of books that would make a bookworm proud. Though my ability to read through it may make them cringe, but hey there is no deadline . . .

Goodness gracious, what a couple weeks. There is no one place I am supposed to be, no one thing I am supposed to be doing. Instead, I am balancing two hundred tiny—some big—things that all need to happen soon. . . There has been so much fun too! We had a visit from one of my best friend’s daughters, who is almost like a niece and her best friend. I love showing people Portland. It’s such a fun city, that is still sweet and remotely humble; although I don’t know how long that will last. It’s growing a mile a minute!

I’ve managed to fit in walks with my oldest; he prefers cold, rainy-day walks, and most of the time so do I. . .

And then of course there is pre-restaurant work. Silly little things like pealing off the old tenant’s lettering on the door. . .

To more dramatic things like painting with the Paiku dudes . . .

Lastly, back at home, the fury family members never cease to be hilarious. I have way too many pictures on my phone of one snorty creature or another. . .

I always feel a sigh of relief when the holiday season wraps up. I hate the kids going back to school, but there is a definite release of pressure and the calm new year to make friends with.

This is an especially exciting January. This year we are entrusting real walls with our food dream and creating a restaurant that will hopefully house customers all year at a semi continues rate. Food trucks are lovely, but winter and summer both hold their challenges from frozen pipes (and frozen customers—almost no customers) to hotbox days where you open the freezer just to cool your face down as you stand wondering what the F#%^*CK you were ever thinking. Nobody comes out for food when it’s a hundred degrees, so you just open to open and watch an empty concrete lot simmer in the sunshine. Yes, four walls, a ceiling, a floor and some good old-fashion tables accompanied by full backed chairs will surely go a long way.

Our house has made some exciting steps forward too, and our giant children are continuing to be more and more giant. I have written myself a list—still to be completed— of what I need to do this month:

Foodtruck:

Clean Floors

Empty and clean fridges

Empty of all equipment

Power-wash back

Take down signs

Light sand outside?

Scrub walls

Scrub steam table

Clean shed

Move fridges

List truck for sale

Restaurant:

Paint

Wainscot

Sand tables

Assemble tables

Steam clean chairs

Purchase dishes/cups/bowls/silverware

Figure out bar top

Make wood signs

Complete menu

Make official ordering and shopping lists for each vendor

Choose and hang artwork/decorate restaurant space

Make bathrooms wonderful/paint and decorate

House:

Trim door to basement

Install wood floor from kitchen to hall

Cap floor to dining room

Paint kitchen walls

Paint kitchen cabinets

Sand and paint bath tub

Organize sewing room

Hang kitchen doors

Hang bamboo on driveway gate

Dog door???

I also hope to get a little time to relax and recoup. I got some big paper, pastels and charcoal out. I figure maybe I’ll play a bit and see where that goes. I haven’t used charcoal or pastels in a long time. In fact, I’ve been feeling artistically rusty lately. Not sure whether it’s just been a while, or if I am now past the age of being in tune and my personal flow of creativey has gone away. But that’s a post for another time. . .

Posts navigation

Between running a pie truck and painting pictures, rallying three rambunctious children and sneaking moments to savor every last drop of tea in my cup, I write this mini log of what I love to do best—keep my hands busy making something . . . Thank you for stopping by, I truly love your comments! Leave a link to your blog, I’d love to stop by!

Between running a pie truck and painting pictures, rallying three rambunctious children and sneaking moments to savor every last drop of tea in my cup, I write this mini log of what I love to do best—keep my hands busy making something . . . Thank you for stopping by, I truly love your comments! Leave a link to your blog, I’d love to stop by!

Between running a pie truck and painting pictures, rallying three rambunctious children and sneaking moments to savor every last drop of tea in my cup, I write this mini log of what I love to do best—keep my hands busy making something . . . Thank you for stopping by, I truly love your comments! Leave a link to your blog, I’d love to stop by!

Between running a pie truck and painting pictures, rallying three rambunctious children and sneaking moments to savor every last drop of tea in my cup, I write this mini log of what I love to do best—keep my hands busy making something . . . Thank you for stopping by, I truly love your comments! Leave a link to your blog, I’d love to stop by!

Between running a pie truck and painting pictures, rallying three rambunctious children and sneaking moments to savor every last drop of tea in my cup, I write this mini log of what I love to do best—keep my hands busy making something . . . Thank you for stopping by, I truly love your comments! Leave a link to your blog, I’d love to stop by!

Between running a pie truck and painting pictures, rallying three rambunctious children and sneaking moments to savor every last drop of tea in my cup, I write this mini log of what I love to do best—keep my hands busy making something . . . Thank you for stopping by, I truly love your comments! Leave a link to your blog, I’d love to stop by!

Between running a pie truck and painting pictures, rallying three rambunctious children and sneaking moments to savor every last drop of tea in my cup, I write this mini log of what I love to do best—keep my hands busy making something . . . Thank you for stopping by, I truly love your comments! Leave a link to your blog, I’d love to stop by!

Between running a pie truck and painting pictures, rallying three rambunctious children and sneaking moments to savor every last drop of tea in my cup, I write this mini log of what I love to do best—keep my hands busy making something . . . Thank you for stopping by, I truly love your comments! Leave a link to your blog, I’d love to stop by!

Between running a pie truck and painting pictures, rallying three rambunctious children and sneaking moments to savor every last drop of tea in my cup, I write this mini log of what I love to do best—keep my hands busy making something . . . Thank you for stopping by, I truly love your comments! Leave a link to your blog, I’d love to stop by!

Between running a pie truck and painting pictures, rallying three rambunctious children and sneaking moments to savor every last drop of tea in my cup, I write this mini log of what I love to do best—keep my hands busy making something . . . Thank you for stopping by, I truly love your comments! Leave a link to your blog, I’d love to stop by!